Ask Ashli: Do Stretch Mark Creams Really Work?

I am newly pregnant and I am very concerned about preventing stretch marks. Are there any effective products on the market and is there anything I can do to prevent them? Thank you so much.

Sincerely yours,

Stretching Mama-to-Be

Dear Stretching Mama-to-Be,

Oh my darling, I completely understand this concern! Stretch marks are essentially scar tissue on the surface of the skin due to rapid changes not only in tension on the skin but also due to the hormonal changes of pregnancy. Currently, there are no proven products on the market to prevent them, and in many cases they appear to be genetic.

All hope is not lost, however! Keeping the skin adequately moisturized can help to support the tissues as they stretch can help a lot. Also, gaining weight slowly has been thought to decrease the chances of stretch marks developing (although in pregnancy this can sometimes be difficult to avoid, as baby is on his/her own growth trajectory!)

For personal/anecdotal advice, I’ve used Bio Oil on my belly twice per day for all three pregnancies and I have luckily not developed stretch marks. I have recently been sent a sample of Belli’s Stretch Mark Minimizing Cream– I will give it a try and let you know what I think in a later post!

Also, if you do happen to develop stretch marks, currently the most effective treatment in the industry is Pulsed Dye Laser. There’s a great thread about it here.

In the meantime, here are two great articles to read for further information about stretch marks and their management: